The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-05-26

man, with a view of getting possession of his
property, and suggested to her that no vestige
of her moral character would remain after
the trial, if she persisted in forcing her claims
to that ISSUE 1t is said that Peggy, on hear
ing this, stopped washing the plate she had in
her hands, and, twisting the towel around her
fingers, fixed her small pale blue eyes at the
lawyer.
aAnd ez that the kind O chirpin these crit
ters keep up?"
II regret to say. my dear young lady," re
sponded the lawyer, "that the world is cell
serious. must add" he continued, with Ell
gaging frankness, "that we professional law
yers are apt to study the opinion of the
world and that such will be the theory Of
our siden
"Then," said Peggy stoutly, "ez I allow
I've got to go into court to defend my char
acter, might as well pack in them three mil
lions too"
There is hearsay evidence that Peg added
to this speech a wish and desire to "bust the
crust" of her traducers, and, remarking that
"that was the kind of hairpip" she was,
closed the conversation with an unfortunate
accident to the plate that left a severe contu-
sion on the legal brow of her companion.
But this story, popular in the barrooms and
gulches, lacked confirmation in higher circles
Better authenticated was the legend related
of an interview with her own lawyer. That
gentleman had pointed out to her the advan-
tage of being able to show some reasonable
cause for the singular generosity of the tes-
| tator
although" )" he continued, "the law does
not go back of the will for reason or cause for
| its provisions, 1t would be strong point with
the judge and jury-particularly if the
theory of insanity were set up-for us to
show that the act was logical and natural
OF course you have--I speak confidently,
Miss Moffat-certain ideas of your own why
the late Mr.. Byways was SO singularly gen.
erous to you"
"No, l haven't" said Peg decidedly.
think again. Had he not expressed to
you-you understand that this is confidential
between us, although protest, my dear young
lady, that / see no reason why it should not
be made public-had he not given utterance
to sentiments of a nature consistent with
some future matrimonial relations?" But
here Miss Pegs large mouth which had been
slowly relaxing over her irregular teeth,
stopped him.
"If you mean he wanted to marry me-
| MOI"
II see. But were there any conditions-of
course you know the law takes no cognizance
of any not expressed in the viii; but still, for
the sake of mere corroboration of the be-
| quest--do you know of any conditions on
which he gave you the property"
"You mean did he want anything in re-
turn2"
| Exactly, my dear young lady"
Pegs face on one side turned deep ma
genta color, on the other a lighter cherry,
| while her nose was purple and her
forehead ap Indian red. To add to the effect
of this awkward and discomposing dramatic
exhibition of embarrassment, she began to
wipe her hands on her dress, and sat silenf
II understand" said the lawyer hastily.
"No matter-the conditions were fulfilled"
"No!" said Peg amazedly. "How could
| they be until he was dead?"
1t was the lawyers turn to color and grow
embarrassed.
"He did say something, and make some
conditions" continued Peg, with a certain
firnlness through her awkwardness; "but
that's nobodys business but mine and his'p.
| And it's no call o yours or theirs"
"But, my dear Miss Moffat if these very
conditions were proofs of his right mind, you
tpt TO la
if only to enable you to put yourself in con-
dition to carry them out"
"But," said Peg cunningly, "spose you and
the court didn't think 'em satisfactory?
Spose you thought 'em queer! Eth"
With this helpless limitation on the part of
the defense, the case came to trial. Every
body remembers it-how for six weeks it was
the daily food of Calaveras county; how for
six weeks the intellectual and moral and spir-
itual competency of Mr.. James Byways to dis
pose of his property was discussed with learned
and formal obscurity i'll the court, and with
unlettered and independent prejudice by
camp fires and in barrooms AT the end of
that time, when it was logically established
that at least nine-tenths of the population of
Calaveras were harmless lunatics, and every
body else's reason seemed tS totter on its
throne an exhausted jury succumbed oGe day
| TO the presence of Peg in the court room. 1t
was not prepossessing presence at any time,
but the excitement and an injudicious at
tempt to ornament herself brought her de-
| fects into n glaring relief that was almost
unreal. Every freckle on her face stood ont
| and asserted itself Singly; her pale blue eyes,
that gave no indication of her force of
character. were weak and wandering, or
stared blanllly at the judge; her diversified
head, broad at the base. terminating in the
scantiest possible light colored braid in the
middle of her narrow shoulders, was as hard
and uninteresting as the wooden spheres that
| topped the railing against which she sat.
The jury. who for six weeks had had her de-
Scribed to them by the plaintiffs as an arch,
willy enchantress, who had sapped the failing
reason of Jim Byways, revolted to 2 man.
There was something SO appallingly gratui-
tous in her piaipness, that it was felt that
three millions was scarcely compensation
for it. HEf that money was give 10 her she
earned it soe. boys; it wasn't no softness of
the old man, said the foreman. When the
jury retired it was felt that she had cleared
her character; when they re-enteFed the
room with their verdict it was known that
she had been awarded three millions damages
for its defamation.
She got the meney. But those who had
confidently expected to see her squander il
were disappointed; on the contrary, it was
presently whispered that she was exceedingly
penurious That admirable woman, Mrs
Silver, of Red Dog, who accompanied
her to San Francisco to assist her in max
ing purchases, was loud in her indignation
"She cares more for two bits than l dt
for five dollars. She wouldn't buy any
thing at the "CitY of Paris, because it wa
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